Finnish film reporter reports back from Cannes: Refn's most beautiful and horrifying film. Plenty of neonlights. Gosling only has about 17 lines of dialogue. Far, far more violent than Drive. Some of the audience loved it, many are so upset (over the violence, apparently) that they are enraged.

As much as I enjoyed Drive I was still left wondering 'what the fuss was all about'

It was a good indie film but still silly and loaded with cliche. I guess those who felt it was a masterpiece might now wonder why the director can't do the same thing twice - and maybe their beloved Drive was a bit goofy and OTT after all

Drive comparisons are understandable considering it's Refn + Gosling + Martinez again, but then again, Refn's been one of the most interesting European directors since 1996, and most of his films aren't much like Drive at all...

Drive is a combination of fairytale and 80's pop dream in the 2000's... perhaps if you were looking for an original storyline you may have been disappointed, but that's not really what the film is about at all. Saw it in cinema four times and was more impressed every time (except maybe on the 4th when I could remember every cut and camera angle by heart, lol)

HungFist wrote:Drive comparisons are understandable considering it's Refn + Gosling + Martinez again, but then again, Refn's been one of the most interesting European directors since 1996, and most of his films aren't much like Drive at all...

Drive is a combination of fairytale and 80's pop dream in the 2000's... perhaps if you were looking for an original storyline you may have been disappointed, but that's not really what the film is about at all. Saw it in cinema four times and was more impressed every time (except maybe on the 4th when I could remember every cut and camera angle by heart, lol)

'Drive' is the only Refn film I've seen and I've no desire to watch it again. For me it was like a 70s movie, say 'Driver', only not as good, and with slabs of contemporary excessive violence thrown in for 'shock value'. I didn't hate 'Drive', the first half was reasonably absorbing, but it was unquestionably the most overrated film of 2011.

I saw this earlier. Apart from the lead/director and some similar style/music choices it's rather different to Drive. Drive is more fun but this is the better made film without a doubt.

I really enjoyed it. It's very violent in places, one scene in particular I wasn't expecting (could've done without it being as long as it was). Ryan Gosling is playing a very different character, not what you'd expect for most of the movie. Kristin Scott Thomas is excellent.

I was watching this today and I immediately thought "Hungfist is going to love this". The mood is like early Wong Kar Wai meets early Sion Sono.
I enjoyed it a lot, it IS a little pretentious but it makes perfect sense and it is soooo, so stylish.